This invention relates to visualization devices for use in weapon's systems and, more particularly, to a visualization device for a near-IR laser designator.
Near-infrared (IR) lasers, which operate in the 0.8 um.-1.5 um. range, are used in some weapons systems as target designators and rangers. That is, the laser projects a beam of light at a target to illuminate the target or range upon it. In turn, this allows a gunner to train his weapon on the spot of light produced by the laser beam striking the target. If the laser is boresighted with the weapon, it can be used by the gunner as an aiming mark. Although the gunner can be fitted with goggles or other devices sensitive to the wavelength of the laser, these encumber the gunner and are therefore unsatisfactory. What is required is a solution which 1) is easy for an operator to use, 2) provides the operator freedom to move his head without incurring parallax errors, 3) works well in a high vibration environment, 4) is easily visible to the operator, and 5) does not require high power levels to transmit energy all the way to a target and back. This invention solves the above problems by using a small percentage of backscatter of the laser energy as it passes through an object. The backscattered energy impinges upon a medium which emits visible light in response to being irradiated with the laser energy. By placing the medium at a focal point of the object, a virtual image is created. This image is at, or near, infinity along the projected laser beam line. Because the image is at infinity, there is no parallax. Further, because of the interaction of the laser beam with the object, any movement (vibration) of the object relative to the laser or the medium does not produce any shift in the virtual image. Similarly, any movement in the medium does not result in any shift of the image.